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Topic: My involuntary swim in HMB 9-21-08  (Read 5380 times)

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Yakattack

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Shortly after Joel and Marv headed in yesterday, my buddy Tony and I started paddling back in and toward a reef that is closer to entrance of the marina. Fishing was pretty slow  so I had switched to a rock cod rig with iron on the bottom. After a couple of minutes, I became snagged on something down below and I was having a hard time breaking it free. I reeled down when the swells were at the low and rode the swell up and had some gentle pressure on the spool in hopes that it would break free or snap the line. After wrestling with it for a couple of minutes, the boat was facing north and the swells were coming directly from my left hand side. I rode the swell down and reeled to take up the slack in the line. As the swell started to rise, I had a little too much pressure on the spool which caused me to lean to the left on the top of the swell :smt018. Then the line snapped and immediately rocked me to the right and into the water. My immediate thought was holy shit! It happened so fast.

Within a couple of seconds, I had the boat turned back over and had a firm grip on the handle of the boat. My Plano box was floating next to me so I grabbed it and struggled with it for about 20 seconds to get it back in the boat. With the Plano box secured, I grabbed my stringer and tossed that in the back of the boat. Just as I had done that, Tony rolled up beside me, secured my boat, extended his paddle over the top of my yak, and coached me back into the boat :smt023. Whew! A little more wet and cold than before, we decided to paddle back in and put and end to this day.

Here is a summary of what I have learned -

1. Secure everything on your boat :smt011! I should have been working on getting back in the boat. Not worrying about the Plano box. BTW - these boxes are not 100% water proof but it does float.

2. Don't panic :shock:. I was a little freaked out for a few seconds there but did get my head straight and got back in the boat with the help of my buddy.

3. Learn to tie my own rock rigs. The combo of heavy braided line and a 40+ pound line on the rock rig is too much and difficult to break. I would rather break more rigs than take a swim and lose a bunch of gear.

4. Rig up a chest wader belt. Some water did get it my waders but not enough to worry about. Had I been in the water longer, that may have been more of a problem.

5. Reading and watching videos about self rescue is not enough. I will be taking a class and practicing, practicing, practicing. I was surprised how small my yak looked as I was trying get back into it and thank God that my buddy was there and knew what he was doing.

If I remember anything else about my experience, I will add to the post. I hope this helps.

 :usa2:

Russ



Jedmo

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Thanks for sharing your experience Russ. I'll make sure to learn from it and try to remember all your tips.

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e2g

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I do tie my own rigs, using nothing heavier than 30# test for rock fishing.  I have also found that when I am really snagged, I put on a glove, get directly over the snag and simply pull straight up.  If it breaks, you dont rock much in any direction and you dont risk your pole tip.  Especially with braid, use a glove our you will be cut.  If I need to rock, I try to rock front to back rather than side to side

definitely be sure to practice self rescue, with your yak loaded.  The dynamics are completely different with it empty.  Also think about what you will have in your PFD pockets.  My first practice was with an empty PFD.  When I tried it with my radio, some tackle etc in the pockets, the pockets were hanging up on the sides.

last thing, if you have a new yak, try self rescue again.  My tarpon was lower in the water, and had a larger cockpit area than my trident.  Much easier to enter.  The trident took a slightly different technique.
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FindThatFish

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now you are properly baptized as a kayak angler.  congrats!  :smt003
great to hear that you managed to get on board safely.
good job!


LoletaEric

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Good job saving yourself, Russ.  And good job sharing the story with us.

Coming from the diving side, I am intimately familiar with "self rescue", but we always just called it getting back on your kayak!  I suggest getting in and swimming around and getting on and off your kayak many times.  You may also want to reconsider whether chest waders are the best thing in the ocean.

Good luck!   :smt001
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SandMan

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Russ,

I've gone for a swim twice now with waders on.  Water does get past the waist belt if you're swimming.  The hard part about getting back in is getting your legs in due to the weight of the water in your waders.  I wear a farmer john wetsuit under the waders so it actually warms me up.

Water doesn't get past the belt if you have a paddle jacket on and stand up right away.  I've bailed in the surf, rolled in the wave but didn't get water in my waders.

When I was floating in the water it reminded me how important it is to have your lower belt on your PFD good and tight so it doesn't ride up and pin your arms or go over your head.

If you straddle your yak it can add the necessary stability to give you some extra margin for error.

I always add a 30 lb "spacer" between my hand tied 50 lb mono rock cod rig and the 50 lb braided main line.  The heavy leader is for toothy critters and unfriendly rocks.  If I get impossibly snagged the spacer will break with some effort but not until I've given it a chance to possibly come free.  That's solid advice about using gloves when messing around with braided line because it will cut through your skin with minimal effort.

Thanks for reporting this, you're doing everyone a big favor.    :smt001
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Quote
That's solid advice about using gloves when messing around with braided line because it will cut through your skin with minimal effort.

When I snag, I'll wrap the braid a few times around the butt section of my rod and pull till it breaks off (I always top shot my 20# braid with 20# mono - about 5 to 10 feet) or you can wrap the line around your fish bat or gaff too  :smt002


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or you can wrap the line around your fish bat or gaff too

That's how I do it. My paddle sweater sleeves are pretty chewed from using them as gloves.
Now apparently I need to save the sleeves' integrity for other emergency purposes.
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Sin Coast

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Great post.
Pulling a snag can be a somewhat dangerous act depending on the conditions, and how you pull on it. I crank all the way down and point my rod tip at the snag (which usually puts the rod 3/4 underwater), then just pull straight up. Don't adjust the drag tension, just use your thumb on the spool to apply pressure. It helps to position yourself directly over the snag. Sometimes I use the peak of the swell to my advantage, so I don't even have to reel and the swell will dislodge the snag.
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Bill

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You guys really need to learn the jackhammer, it works about 98% of the time for me with no lose of gear. I should make a video.


e2g

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You guys really need to learn the jackhammer, it works about 98% of the time for me with no lose of gear. I should make a video.

I think I have seen half the guys in this thread do the hammer.  I was referring to when things are hopeless.  That usually happens when you send down something really pricy like a butterfly lure :smt012
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LoletaEric

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I am a licensed guide.  DFW Guide ID:  1000124.   Let's do a trip together.

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loletaeric@yahoo.com - call me up at (707) 845-0400

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Yakattack

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Thanks for all of the suggestions guys. I didn't even think about using the butt of the rod to break the braid but I do now. Great idea.




ravensblack

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I would definetly have a wetsuit on not only are they buoyant you can piss your pants without worrying. UMMMMM nice and warm too.
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Dan V

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Russ,

I've gone for a swim twice now with waders on.  Water does get past the waist belt if you're swimming.  The hard part about getting back in is getting your legs in due to the weight of the water in your waders.  I wear a farmer john wetsuit under the waders so it actually warms me up.






  Farmer johns and a pair of waders , how can you move or stand the heat ? Think the Farmer Johns and some booties by themselves would be just as warm when you go swimming and a lot safer . I have no kayak experience so I may be wrong although I have been a freediver for over 20 years . Can't even fathom being in the water with all that on !


 

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